Pendleton Heights has won three straight games at home, while New Palestine has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Pendleton Heights Arabians will host the New Palestine Dragons at 7:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Friday, Pendleton Heights strolled past Frankton with points to spare, taking the game 51-34. That looming 51-34 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Arabians yet this season.
| 01/10/25 vs Frankton | 17 |
| 01/08/25 @ Anderson | 16 |
| 01/07/25 vs Lapel | 21 |
| 12/28/24 vs Indianapolis Bishop Chatard | 30 |
| 12/21/24 vs Liberty Christian | 33 |
| 12/17/24 @ Guerin Catholic | 16 |
Pendleton Heights' success was spearheaded by the efforts of Cooper Sims, who went 5 for 8 on his way to 17 points, and Joseph Estes, who posted eight points. Sims' evening made it six games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Ashaan Singh, who put up four points and five steals.
Meanwhile, New Palestine earned a 69-56 win over Delta on Saturday.
New Palestine had a senior duo take command as Julius Gizzi went 8 of 11 on his way to 24 points and five rebounds and Moses Haynes went 5 of 8 on his way to 18 points in addition to seven assists and five boards. Gizzi has been hot for a while, having posted 15 or more points the last 14 times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Ben Slagley, who posted three points along with seven boards and six assists.
New Palestine smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their offensive rebound total in three consecutive matches.
New Palestine is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine games, which provided a nice bump to their 10-2 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 71.1 points per game. As for Pendleton Heights, their victory bumped their record up to 5-6.
Friday's contest is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Pendleton Heights has been crazy accurate this season, having made 50.2% of their field goals per game. However, it's not like New Palestine struggles in that department as they've drained 51.2% of their field goals this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Pendleton Heights couldn't quite finish off New Palestine in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 and fell 60-58. Will Pendleton Heights have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
